Our History

Demonstrating scientific excellence since 1865.

Since 1865 we have demonstrated scientific excellence in a country that straddles two tectonic plates, where earthquakes were first associated with geological faulting, and whose first Nobel Laureate, Ernest Rutherford, saw that radioactive isotopes could be used for geological dating.

Alpine fault

Today, we continue these investigations, from the atomic to the planetary scale. These activities are expressed through our Māori name, Te PūAo, which means “the foundation, origin, and source of the world”.